Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1887-05-27
THE INDIAN TRADERS.
RETURN OF THE SENATE lNVESTl-
eating COMMITTEE.
The Abuse of the Appointing Power-Un-
civilized Condition of the Indian Aris-
tocrats-Educated Natives Re-
lapsing into Bar barIsm.

WASHINGTON, May Ex-senator Platte,
who went West with Senators Cullom
and Blackburn as select committee to
investigate certain allegations with respect
to the appointments of Indian traders,
have returned here. Witnesses from In
dian Territory met them at Arkansas
City on the southern border of Kansas.
The complaints of the traders who were
sharply cross-examined by Senator Black
burn as to effect that they were removed
upon no substantial pretext except that
they were republicans and that personal
and political friends of people now in
high authority were given place. If
this were all, says Senator Plat, the sub
ject would perhaps not be worthy the
further attention of the Senate, but in
these cases or in the majority of them as
the evidence now stands, the old traders
not only lost their places but the change
swept away their fortunes as well. The
statement of the traders under oath as to
the amounts of money they were Obliged
to invest in their enterprise ranging
from Sl2. 600 to $50, 900 and averaging prob.
ably $4,000 seemed almost Incredible but
they were fully confirmed when the COM
mlttee took occasion to make personal
inspection of some of the stores and of the
methods the traders were compelled to
adopt. Indians receive annuities and
lease money and are periodically in funds
for few days at time. All the other
seasons they, are the debtors of the traders
VINO usually have one-half or three
quarters of their investments outstanding
Indians pay their debts promptly enough
TO the traders who remain in business and
who can continue to trust them, but one
whose doors are closed or who as in some
cases is peremptorily ordered away from
the territory has no chance of receiving
more than a fraction of his
dues. When the new appolntes are
men of means and experience, the stocks
of goods on hand, buildings and fixtures
can sometimes be disposed of to them, but
the TACT that they come armed with eX-
elusive franchises places the outgoing
trader at their mercy as regards prices,
etc. In several notable instances the APP
pointing power seems to have been sadly
imposed upon, having given licenses to
men who had nothing but their influence
to put into the business and openly pro-
posed to old traders copartnerships, the
latter to furnish the capital, experience
and time, and the former nothing but the
license.
After finishing their work at Arkansas
City the committee took Il trip into the
Indian Territory for personal OBJ:
things which astonished them. South
ern Kansas Senator Platt de-
scribes as one of the most fertile por-
tions of the country. Neat cottages, sub
stantial barns and out buildings are
pleasing features of universal landscape
But when Indian Territory is reached all
signs of human life and cultivation ceases
and in their stead one sees only an eX-
panse of unproductive prairie Almost
directly south of Arkansas City lies the
kaw reservation, more than 120. 600 acres
OF as fine lands as can be found IN the
West, the property of a tribal remnant
numbering exactly 1917 individuals, count
ing women and children. These people
are worthless beggars upon whom the
best efforts of philanthropy are lavished
in vain.
The committee rode 20 or 25 miles across
this reservation without discovering a
single sign of inhabitance except the wire
fences of the cattlemen and the buildings
at the agency. Coming into the Usage coun-
try they found 100000 acres reserved for
about 1900 people, two-thirds of whom are
full bloods as uncultured and worthless az
their ancestors of a century ago These
people are, per capita, the wealthiest on
the globe. If their trust fund and their
land were divided among them every man,
woman and child would possess fortune
of about $4,000 A few have taken to
farming, they toll not with their own
hands, but employ white men to do it.
coming to the agency wrapped in their
gaudy blankets to purchase supplies for
their men. They select most delicate
viands and will take nothing else, but for
their white laborers they buy cheap and
coarser grades.
The habits of these beings were not
taken by the committee upon trust. The
religious dance and festival of some days
duration was taking place near the agency
and the committee went to see it.
Braves, some clad in little beside
gorgeous paints, Others decked out with
all the finery they could command took
part in the dance with true aborigine
fervor. Two of the sprightliest of the
dane ers, we'll covered with little looking
glass es, seighbells, feathers and ribbons
were graduates of On Indian school who
have relapsed into shameless savagery.
While the dance went on the women pre-
pared feast and naked youths of both
sexes and even fish dogs watched the
proceedings The Committee withdrew af-
ter witnessing this display of arcadian
domestic city for two or three hours
field with the conviction that our ma
tlonal Indian policy is not accomplishing
all that was expected of it.